Ron Nyren

I teach creative writing for Stanford Continuing Studies, both online and in person, including in the Stanford Continuing Studies Online Certificate Program in Novel Writing. Watch this space for news about open classes I’ll be teaching in 2025.

“The instructor was great, and I feel I learned a lot from him. A memorable teacher is one who leads you to a shift in your thinking/approach/ perspective, and Ron has a very thoughtful and gentle way of achieving this. I respected his views and his approach in the class, and he's someone whose opinions I would seek out in the future if I had an opportunity. I appreciated the way he prepped the class for the feedback sessions and workshops, and I think we all got a better sense of our work thanks to that, and I feel excited about going back to working on my chapter. His lectures in class and the in-class exercises all tied together very nicely, and each exercise did take me to a new level in my thinking and appreciation for whatever topic it was that we were looking at that week.”

— Course Participant

“Ron was an excellent instructor. He was thoughtful and respectful of each student's writing knowledge. He made it comfortable to ask him questions and he provided wonderful and detailed replies.”

— Course Participant

“This class was a wonderful experience. Ron did a great job of structuring the class. He delivered the content very well and structured the class so the readings were relevant and the workshop discussions were highly productive. Without exception the workshop sessions were appreciated by those contributing their work. Ron's personal experience and depth in the subject made students feel he was credible yet he always focused on drawing out the best contributions from students during class discussion in a comfortable and congenial atmosphere. His leadership made the flow of dialogue open and constructive. I learned a great deal and more importantly, personally felt more motivated to continue developing my writing skills.”

— Course Participant

“This was an excellent course. The instructor was extremely attentive and empathetic to all of us. He also made time to meet us outside of class to discuss our short stories and novels. The instructor also selected some amazing shorts stories and it was very helpful for us to analyze them in class.”

— Course Participant

“PLEASE bring Ron Nyren back! He's clear, insightful, and an amazing discussion facilitator. This was such an enjoyable course, and he ran it so well. I've taken other courses in the Continuing Studies program before, but I almost don't want to take another one unless Ron is teaching it. :) Truly, and without exaggeration, this was a fantastic course that brightened up my week.”

— Course Participant

“One of the best writing classes I have taken. Weekly topics, handouts, readings, discussions all superbly planned and executed. Most importantly, Ron has a rare and essential gift for creating an atmosphere of sensitivity, trust, and respect during discussions of beginning writer's work.”

— Course Participant

“Ron Nyren is an extraordinarily considerate, articulate and thought-provoking teacher. He has an exceptionally keen eye for the intricacies of writing and is able to share that sensitive, discerning perspective with his students in a way that increases the depth of a conversation without turning it in any way harsh or negatively critical. I have an MFA in creative writing, so I have the experience of taking quite a lot of writing classes. Ron's class went into depths of understanding and critique that I have never before experienced.…I felt intellectually and creatively challenged and invigorated by the class. It inspired me and supported me, making me more certain and appreciative of myself as a writer. I would absolutely love to take any future classes Ron teaches and plan to check each quarter to see if a new one is offered.”

— Course Participant

“I enjoyed this course immensely and would definitely take another class with Ron! He was well prepared, paced the subject matter appropriately and made the class fun. Although I was a novice, I felt encouraged and supported. Well done!”

— Course Participant

“Ron led great discussions of the readings and the workshops. I always think that part of that is the class chemistry and knowledge base, which was a good mix of experienced and novice writers. But the instructor sets and maintains the frame for the discussions and I thought that Ron did a skillful job of leading the class into territory that was interesting and useful to us as writers.”

— Course Participant

“The course instructor managed to foster an open environment where conflicting opinions and different viewpoints could be discussed respectfully and his feedback to each student on their workshop piece was extensive and thoughtful. Would definitely take another class with Ron or try more courses at Stanford's Continuing Studies. Excellent all around.”

— Course Participant

“Ron is a wonderful creative writing instructor. I learned a lot from him in this class thanks to the readings he assigned, the way he structured the course, the feedback he gave during our discussions of workshop pieces, the lectures he gave on elements of creative writing, and the writing assignments he selected. I also found his demeanor and teaching style extraordinarily pleasant, helpful, and informative. Ditto for his manner of providing feedback.”

— Course Participant